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Festival of Archaeology at Chedworth Roman Villa

Chedworth Roman Villa is taking part in the Festival of Archaeology between Saturday 16 and Sunday 31 July.

During the two weeks the National Trust team are putting on a number of activities to give visitors a chance to get their hands dirty and get up close to archaeological artefacts.

Coordinated by the Council for British Archaeology (CBA), the Festival of Archaeology is a national event, now in its 26th year, which encourages everyone to explore the archaeology of their local area, watch experts at work, and experience archaeology for themselves.

At Chedworth this year the National Trust have planned a variety of special talks, tours and hands-on activities for families, giving visitors a chance to try their hand at archaeological techniques and experience the thrill of identifying a find. Sylvia Warman will be kick starting the programme on Saturday 16 July, running sessions to introduce families on how to identify animals from their bones.

During the first week of the festival the focus will be on Chedworth Villa’s history, exploring the sites 2000 years of history and taking a look at the ongoing archaeological discoveries that are still being uncovered on site. Visitors will have the opportunity to put their historic sleuthing skills to the test when Nancy Grace, National Trust archaeologist, will hold day-long labs of find examination on 25 – 26 July.

The second week of activities will be more family centred with a Roman Coin trail around the site and a number of craft activities. The fortnight then concludes with the return of the Roman Military Research Society to Chedworth to re-enact a dramatic military display.

‘This is the third year we are taking part in the Festival of Archaeology,’ said Sigute Barniskyte-Kidd, Visitor Services Co-ordinator at Chedworth Roman Villa. ‘We aim to increase public interest in the field of archaeology by showcasing the work we do and giving visitors an opportunity to meet specialists working in related areas. The Roman re-enactment event is the culmination of the festival and is extremely popular with our visitors.’

Normal admission prices apply, with an additional charge for selected events. More information is available on the website.